Rise of the Assassins

Could a medieval church really protect a killer from the law?From the 40-day asylum of parish churches to the more permanent protections claimed by Westminster Abbey, sanctuary was never simply an escape route, it was a contested space where mercy and authority met.Dr. Eleanor Ja ...  Show more

How could a love song become a political weapon? How were scandals, wars and crusades turned into some of the most influential poetry ever written?The songs of the troubadours - celebrities in their day - helped define the emotional landscape of the Middle Ages and left a legacy ...  Show more

Using targeted political murder to protect humanity from injustice and abuse of power, the Assassins are infamous as much for their secrecy as for their actions. The story of the Nizari branch of Ismaili Muslims goes right back to the start of Islam, and continues to this day. ...

Poisoned blades, a gun, a dagger to the heart - assassinations & killings for political gain have taken place for as long as societies have existed. Just as in the games, we have evidence of assassinations from Ancient Egypt to the American Revolution to the Victorian Age. ...

An order of crusading monks draped in white robes marked with a red cross: the Knights Templar perhaps don’t sound that daunting when you first hear of them. But these monks were one of the most powerful organisations in the world during the crusades. From land ownership to ba ...

Assassins have been plotting, murdering, and executing for thousands of years—from the famed Ides of March to forgotten British Prime Ministers. Their reach across history is inconceivable. But what motivates an assassin, and have their murderous ways ever helped them achieve the ...  Show more